Multiage Writing

Writing in the Multiage Classroom
Kinney students are learning to write through experience in a Workshop approach to process writing. The workshop method contains three parts:
1. Mini-lessons on Skills
Students are taught writing skills through large and small group lessons. These skills may be mechanics, such as punctuation and capitalization, or content skills, such as using descriptive words, developing a good beginning or closing, etc.
Skills are also taught through daily work. The morning mystery message is several sentences containing errors to be corrected which children solve as a group.
2. Writing Folders
Students write independently or with partners about anything of interest to them. They may write stories, reports, letters, directions, rules, autobiographies, songs, poems, etc.
The teacher usually begins this section with a Status of the Class when students tell an adult what s/he is working on for the day. At this time, the students are reminded of their individual writing goal. The adult also encourages them in their writing.
Students write for 30-45 minutes daily. They are encouraged to spell words by "sounding them out" or saying them slowly. Their folders also have a reference paper that contains the most commonly used words. Words are added to this list if the child consistently misspells a common word. But, the emphasis remains on content.
Students are taught to edit their rough drafts. Editing is completed with less and less teacher direction as editing skills progress. Students are taught that most of their work is in the rough draft form but that published work is "almost perfect". Students have an opportunity to publish several of their writings each semester.
As students are writing, the teacher is conferencing with individual students on their progress in writing. The student and teacher find positive parts of the student's writing and at this time, set one goal for the student. If several students are having problems in a particular area, the next day's mini-lesson will be on that topic.
3. Author's Chair
Children learn more about writing by sharing their writing at the Author's Chair. The teacher demonstrates how to conference with fellow students during this sharing time. She demonstrates how to say specific positive comments such as "I like the way you described the dog in your story. I feel like I can see it without a picture."
They also learn how to tell someone how to make a piece of writing better. They learn to make comments such as: "I liked the part in your story when you told what it was like to be in the scary house. I think your story would be even better if you made that part longer and told how you felt when the door closed loudly."
The room is usually not quiet - there is a buzz of activity as children ask each other for help and share their writing with their friends. They learn that it is good to share your ideas with other people and get ideas from them. But, some children need quiet time to concentrate so there are quiet spaces or quiet times for those children who need this type of environment.

Morning Meeting Reading

Math Spelling

Themes Multiage Definition

Class Community Are you ready?
Kinney Home

	Writing in the Multiage Classroom Kinney students are learning to write through experience in a Workshop approach to process writing. The workshop method contains three parts: 1. Mini-lessons on Skills Students are taught writing skills through large and small group lessons. These skills may be mechanics, such as punctuation and capitalization, or content skills, such as using descriptive words, developing a good beginning or closing, etc. Skills are also taught through daily work. The morning mystery message is several sentences containing errors to be corrected which children solve as a group. 2. Writing Folders Students write independently or with partners about anything of interest to them. They may write stories, reports, letters, directions, rules, autobiographies, songs, poems, etc. The teacher usually begins this section with a Status of the Class when students tell an adult what s/he is working on for the day. At this time, the students are reminded of their individual writing goal. The adult also encourages them in their writing. Students write for 30-45 minutes daily. They are encouraged to spell words by "sounding them out" or saying them slowly. Their folders also have a reference paper that contains the most commonly used words. Words are added to this list if the child consistently misspells a common word. But, the emphasis remains on content. Students are taught to edit their rough drafts. Editing is completed with less and less teacher direction as editing skills progress. Students are taught that most of their work is in the rough draft form but that published work is "almost perfect". Students have an opportunity to publish several of their writings each semester. As students are writing, the teacher is conferencing with individual students on their progress in writing. The student and teacher find positive parts of the student's writing and at this time, set one goal for the student. If several students are having problems in a particular area, the next day's mini-lesson will be on that topic. 3. Author's Chair Children learn more about writing by sharing their writing at the Author's Chair. The teacher demonstrates how to conference with fellow students during this sharing time. She demonstrates how to say specific positive comments such as "I like the way you described the dog in your story. I feel like I can see it without a picture." They also learn how to tell someone how to make a piece of writing better. They learn to make comments such as: "I liked the part in your story when you told what it was like to be in the scary house. I think your story would be even better if you made that part longer and told how you felt when the door closed loudly." The room is usually not quiet - there is a buzz of activity as children ask each other for help and share their writing with their friends. They learn that it is good to share your ideas with other people and get ideas from them. But, some children need quiet time to concentrate so there are quiet spaces or quiet times for those children who need this type of environment.
	Morning Meeting	Reading
	Math	Spelling
	Themes	Multiage Definition
	Class Community	Are you ready?
	Kinney Home